In the medical field, tubes and catheters are used in a wide variety of applications including drainage procedures or applications. In these types of applications, the tubes or catheters are of the type which carry various bodily fluids, including but not limited to, abscess fluids, urinary fluids, and biliary fluids. One purpose of these tubes or catheters is to decompress, relieve, or drain a specific collection of fluid. The expressed fluid is amassed into a collection bag for evaluation or evacuation.
It is important that the interior passageway or lumen in these devices remain unobstructed from particulates and/or residues which can collect or build-up on the surface of the lumen in the catheter or tube. The build-up of particulates and/or residues on the interior surface of the lumen in the tube or catheter can lead to uneven, reduced, or obstructed flow. Obstructed, limited, or even uneven fluid flow can extend the recovery time of a patient, resulting in the potential for further complications or infections. For example, an infection can cause complications in the patient's treatment leading to sickness or even death. These problems are particularly accentuated with those catheters or tubes which are kept in place for longer periods of time.
As a result, the tubes or catheters must be periodically flushed to ensure that there is not a build-up of particulates or residue in the lumen that will block or impede the flow of fluid out of the patient. Flushing these medical devices usually involves attaching a source of cleansing fluid, such as a saline solution, and directing the cleansing fluid under low pressure through the tube or catheter to remove any build-up occurring in the lumen. The flushing fluid can then be allowed to flow out the tube or catheter into the drainage bag.
When it is time to flush the tube or catheter, the drainage bag can be disconnected and the source of cleansing fluid, usually a syringe, can be attached to the tube or catheter that is fluidly connected to the patient. Once the cleansing fluid has been directed into the tube or catheter, the syringe or other source of cleansing fluid, can be disconnected and the drainage bag can be reattached. This procedure is particularly unsatisfactory because of the time required to unscrew the drainage bag, and attach the syringe, and then to unscrew the syringe and reattach the drainage bag. In addition, after the cleansing fluid has been directed into the tube or catheter that is attached to the patient, there is a risk of fluid leaking during the un-attaching and reattaching process which can cause an unsanitary condition and potentially expose medical personnel and the patient to contamination. Further, if any fluid is accidentally discharged during this process, the medical personnel must take the time to sanitize the patient, the bedding, and themselves.